Scientific Section Presidents named for 2018

The British Science Association (BSA) have today announced the list of Scientific Section Presidents for 2018. Since the foundation of the British Science Festival, the BSA’s Sections have played a key role in its content development, advising the BSA on hot topics in their subject areas, as well as suggesting leading figures who could be involved.

Comprised of science professionals, the Sections contribute to the programme's events and arrange activities such as talks, demonstrations, and debates.

Each year, the Sections nominate an individual who has made a significant contribution to their scientific field for Presidency of the Section. They are also invited to give their Presidential Address at the British Science Festival in September to mark the start of their year-long Presidency.

Louise Archer is Karl Mannheim Professor of Sociology of Education at the University College London, Institute of Education. She is also the BSA’s Vice-President for Education and sits on Council (the board of trustees).

Beth Healey is a British medical doctor who spent a year in Antarctica at Concordia Station, a French-Italian base, as a Research MD. She worked for the European Space Agency, researching the effects of physical and psychological isolation on a group of people.

John Durant has been director of the MIT Museum and adjunct professor in the Science, Technology & Society Program since 2005. He is a founder of the international Science Festival Alliance and founding editor of the quarterly peer-reviewed journal Public Understanding of Science.

Barbara Petrongolo is Professor of Economics at Queen Mary University, Director of the CEPR Labour Economics Programme and Research Associate at the Centre for Economic Performance of the London School of Economics.

Briony McDonagh is a historical and cultural geographer at the University of Hull, who has published widely on the British rural landscape, on women's histories and historical geographies, and on the geographies of protest, property and the commons.

British Science Festival 2017 event: The Sections have a large input its yearly programme

When the British Science Association was founded, there were four sections: physics, chemistry, geology and natural history. Now there are 17, covering the wide variety of subjects mentioned above. The sections have been crucial for the success of the British Science Festival, ensuring that it's programme remains current and relevant for modern audiences.

Latest

Our second UK Science Festivals Network conference took place in Swansea last month. Here, you'll find an overview of what was discussed in each session, so if you weren’t able to attend one, or the conference at all, you can get up to speed…

We are very excited to be launching a ‘Community Leaders’ pilot to help further enable community groups who work with under-represented audiences to deliver science related projects during British Science Week.

Detecting brain damage in newborns is notoriously difficult. Gemma Bale of UCL is helping to develop an innovative method for investigating brain activity – using infrared light. Alan Barker followed her into an area of research that promises to give new hope to babies and their families.

It’s estimated that there are 13,000 people in modern slavery conditions in the UK, but this is thought to be just the tip of the iceberg. But what can you do to spot it? Grace Marner investigates from this year's British Science Festival.